Donny 在北京学汉语，他的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词，就会来请教他。今天是方方要问的：跟班打杂的。
Donny: Hey, Fang Fang, what's up? Do you like your new job?
FF: 啊，还行吧。就是初来乍到，专业一点都用不上，尽打杂了。
Donny: 打杂？What do you do everyday?
FF: 无非就是复印文件，取东西，接电话什么的。哎？美国人怎么形容这种工作啊？
Donny: Oh! Someone who does small and unimportant tasks at work is called a go-for. g-o-f-o-r, go-for.
FF: 哦! 这么说，go-for 就是公司里的小弟小妹! go-for 的主要工作就是跑腿儿。那“跑腿”又怎么说呢？
Donny: We say they "run errands for others." Run is spelled r-u-n, errands is spelled e-r-r-a-n-d-s. The word "errand" means a short trip that's taken to finish a necessary task.
FF: Errand 差事，复数加s, errands, 所以 run errands for others 就是替别人“跑腿”的意思。
Donny: That's right. I guess you don't really like running errands for your boss, right?
FF: 是啊，我想做有意义的工作，可老板总让我干些没用的活儿。
Donny: She gives you a lot of busy work, I'm assuming? The phrase "busy work" refers to tasks that keep people busy but are not very useful.
FF: 哦! 原来，busy work 就是花时间，但没意义的工作。老板给我 busy work，并不是因为这些工作重要，而是因为她不愿意看我闲着!
Donny: That's right! Fangfang, a lot of people start as go-fors and work their way up. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Now let's see what you've learned today!
FF: 公司里跑腿打杂的小弟小妹叫 go-for；
跑腿是 run errands for others；
消磨时间，但是没意义的工作是 busy work. |